Redemption:Third in the Slayer Chronicles
by JustinsbabeC
Summary: This is the moment Angel has been waiting for...redemption of his humanity...but can he survive?
1. Chapter 1

Redemption: The Slayer Chronicles  
  
Prologue: Los Angeles, CA  
  
Christian Edwards stroked his chin in deep thought. The time for his great Lord to rise was approaching quickly and there were more souls to capture. He knew his time was running short, but he also knew that he must be careful or the Slayer, Serena, and her vampire with a soul, will catch on to what he was planning. He must move quick. They will not know what hit them.  
  
He had sent his men to go retrieve the soul David Bentone so generously supplied. Soon, it will be over, and he will rule.  
  
  
  
Redemption: The Slayer Chronicles  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Serena stared at the intruders in horror as they pulled down their collars and removed their fedoras. Oh my gosh! They don't have faces! Serena thought frantically.  
  
These intruders were indeed featureless. There were indentations where the eyes should have been, a bump where a nose would normally protrude and a lipless gash instead of a mouth. Yet they were not identical. One wore black metal hoops through the misshapen lumps that might have been ears. Another had a small red teardrop drawn beneath the indentation where its left eye would be. On the right cheek of the one that had spoken was tattooed the circular image of a snake consuming its own tail.  
  
The one with the snake tattoo pointed at Serena and demanded, "Give us the vessel. Give it to us now." It outstretched its hand in anticipation.  
  
Serena bounded across the room with amazing speed. "How bad do you want it?" she asked.  
  
The thing demanded the vial once more. Serena shrugged. "You want it that bad, huh? Then you're gonna get it!" With lightning quick speed, she lashed out with her feet, knocking Snakeface off balance. Earring and Teardrop attacked Angel, hurling him across the room.  
  
Snakeface head-butted Serena, sending her flying. She stood, gripping her nose which began to bleed. "Hey, do you realize you could've broken my nose?" she asked incredulously. She flew at the creature and knocked it down, beginning to punch its face. "Seeing as you don't have a face and I can't tell for myself, you're gonna have to tell me if I'm hurting you or not." Snakeface caught her hand mid-punch and twisted, throwing her onto her back.  
  
"Now, see, that kinda hurt." She kicked him in the face and flew back onto her feet, in fighting stance. "Bad, bad boy." She clawed at his tattoo. Snakeface howled in pain and clutched his cheek. The flap of skin that the snake once rested on flapped onto its cheek. Snakeface turned on her and backhanded her into a wall. She bounced off and landed on top of a nightstand, making it splinter beneath her. Serena glanced at Angel.  
  
"Angel, the earrings and the teardrop! Destroy them!" she called weakly. Angel grabbed Earring's lump of an ear and tugged, the earrings falling into his hand immediately. Earrings screamed and fell to his knees.  
  
Snakeface walked up to Serena and reached inside her coat, pulling out the vial. "No!" Serena screeched, digging her fingernails into its arm and scraping deep. She struggled to reach for the vial, but Snakeface threw her back down before she could reach. She fell on something that broke. She looked at it. It was the collector, now in several different pieces. She ignored it.  
  
"Angel! He's got the vial!" She called frantically, getting on her feet again and hurling herself towards the faceless creatures, which had huddled together. Suddenly, the featureless creatures were gone. Serena landed on hard floor.  
  
"Oh, gosh, where's my luck?" Serena mumbled into the floor. She wiped the blood from her face and tried to pull herself up. A pair of hands gently helped her to her feet. She turned to Angel.  
  
"Thanks." She mumbled. She looked around. "Wait, where's Bentone?" she asked.  
  
Bentone had disappeared as well, probably in the heat of the fight. Angel stared angrily at the floor. "Angel, we'll get the soul." She put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll get it, I promise."  
  
*****  
  
Cordy was hanging around her desk when Angel and Serena strode in. She was about to say something, but stopped herself. There was a look on Angel's face that told her if she was something evil, she should seriously consider a change in careers, maybe to food services. If that hadn't given it away, the little shake of Serena's head tipped her off.  
  
So Cordy just stood there, watching Angel hang up his duster and remove something from his pocket. There was some bruising around the vampire's mouth.  
  
Serena stepped up beside Cordelia's desk. She, too, appeared to be banged up. "Rough night?" Cordy asked in an attempt to break the oppressive silence.  
  
"Very," Angel grumbled, not bothering to turn around as he went up to his room. Cordelia waited until he was out of sight to say anything.  
  
"So what's got what's got tall, dark, and brooding even moodier than usual?" She asked, nodding in the direction that Angel left while sitting and beginning to shred a napkin.  
  
Serena shrugged. "We found Aubrey's father and the missing soul." She said softly.  
  
Cordelia fidgeted in her seat nervously. "So, he's the one who took it? You're telling me a petty thief with a big time gambling problem somehow mastered the black arts and stole his daughter's soul? I'm going to need the instruction manual on this one."  
  
Serena brought her up to speed with Bentone's debts and the deal he made to square the balance. Cordy thought she was going to throw up. She picked up a paper clip and began to bend it out of shape. "Suddenly I'm understanding why the marriage didn't last."  
  
Serena rubbed her eyes. "We figure that Edwards is some sort of sorcerer. He gave Bentone the means to collect the soul and Bentone was supposed to drop it off tonight at the bus station."  
  
Cordelia began to jot notes. "So, I'm guessing with the grimmest man in the world sitting in his bedroom in the dark, Aubrey's soul wasn't rescued?"  
  
Serena sighed and slid into a seat and cupped her face in her hands. "I think Edwards might of tried to change the deal. Edwards sent some faceless goons to get the soul. But they didn't count on us being there. Situation turned ugly."  
  
"Not good," Cordy remarked.  
  
"You know, we find Christian Edwards and I bet we find Aubrey Bentone's soul," Serena said thoughtfully.  
  
Angel called from upstairs. Serena and Cordelia hurried up the stairs and into Angel's room. Cordelia flipped on the lights as she walked in and let out a little shriek when she saw what was lying on Angel's bed.  
  
"Please tell me you didn't find that thing crawling up the wall in here."  
  
She watched in disgust as Angel picked up the fragile looking device and studied it more closely.  
  
"No. It came in with me. This is what was used to steal Aubrey's soul. It's called a collector."  
  
"I call it gross," Cordelia retorted.  
  
Angel picked up one of the glass vials and attached it to the bottom of the device. "If it wasn't broken in the scuffle it would be capable of stealing a soul from your body and storing it inside this vessel." He set it back down on the bed.  
  
Serena picked up the collector and examined it in her hands. "This doesn't look like it was built. I'm guessing the ugly thing was grown." She put it back down on the bed, crinkling her nose.  
  
"You're probably right. Grown, just like the faceless trio we fought tonight. I didn't make the connection at first, but looking at this, I'd guess those creatures were homunculi. Artificial life forms created with magic and a mixture of flesh, blood, and, if you can believe it, horse manure."  
  
Cordy held her nose. "All together now, ewwww."  
  
Angel leaned back, his dark eyes never leaving the device. He appeared tired, worn out.  
  
"We're going to need every bit of information we can get on Christian Edwards." He looked at Cordy. "Cordy, I need you to search the magic user database to see if Edwards is."  
  
Cordelia interrupted him with a yawn. She tried to stifle it, but couldn't. "I'm sorry, Angel, what was that again?"  
  
Angel pressed his palms against his eyes. "We're not doing anyone any good in this condition. I think we all need to get some rest."  
  
Serena had lain back on Angel's bed with her eyes closed. "I say that's a great idea. I've been going ever since early this morning. We can start fresh in the morning."  
  
Angel wore a deep frown. "We were so close tonight."  
  
Serena blindly reached for him. "We'll get there again." She promised, using his arm to pull herself up. Angel turned off the light again, just as Cordelia left. The collector still laid on his bed.  
  
"It's going to be dawn soon. Are you staying here for a while or what?" Serena asked at the door.  
  
"I think I'm going downstairs until I get good and tired." Angel answered after a few moments of silence. "I haven't been sleeping too well."  
  
"Oh, okay." Serena sensed something wrong, but decided not to push it. He needed to be alone. "Goodnight Angel."  
  
"Goodnight, Serena." She left him behind in the darkness.  
  
*****  
  
It wasn't long after Serena left that Angel went downstairs. He thought a cup of tea would help him unwind. He fixed himself some Earl Grey, took a book of poetry from his library, Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience, and went back upstairs and reclined in his bed, trying to relax. He was distracted. All he could think about was Aubrey's soul and how lovely it was. He wondered if his own tarnished soul could ever be as beautiful.  
  
An hour passed and still Angel did not sleep. He set the book on his nightstand beside his empty tea mug and closed his eyes.  
  
Splashes of color played across the insides of his eyelids: bright reds and greens, muted yellows and explosions of silvery white, similar to the colors he had seen manifest within the crystal soul receptacle. But nothing could compare. He had been correct those many years ago when he answered his baby sister's question about the appearance of the soul.  
  
".the most lovely thing you'll ever see," he had told her.  
  
He saw the vessel now, floating in the darkness. He felt himself begin to unwind.  
  
"It's made up of all the colors of the rainbow and some that haven't even been thought up yet."  
  
It appeared as a gas, billowing white. Tiny explosions of color erupted from the body within the wafting mist.  
  
"To look at one, it would make you cry with sheer joy, it's so beautiful."  
  
And then the mist and the blooming colors began to coalesce. The contents of the vessel became a liquid.  
  
Like blood.  
  
And the soul trapped within screamed to be free.  
  
*****  
  
Angel couldn't remember how he came to the ancient cemetery, but he knew well enough where he was.  
  
It was where his family had been laid to rest two centuries before.  
  
His bare feet crushed the dry leaves beneath them as he walked between headstones. A cool fall breeze blew across the burial ground, causing prickly goosebumps to erupt across the naked skin of his chest.  
  
Why am I here? He thought. He tried to read the names on the grave markers as he passed but couldn't. It was unusually dark and many of the names had become obscure by thick, leafy vines that grew across the surfaces of the headstones.  
  
At first he believed it to be the sighing of the wind, but then he listened more carefully. It wasn't the wind but a child's voice he heard.  
  
"Hello?" he called. "Is somebody there?"  
  
A thick bank of clouds slid across the face of the moon, allowing the cold rays of the midnight sun to shine, illuminating this place of the dead.  
  
He saw her then, across the yard, a tiny figure kneeling before a grave. The child was speaking, but he could not understand the words. He drew closer.  
  
She was busily ripping away the green, leafy plant life from the headstone. Her back was to him, but Angel could see that she wore a pink hospital gown.  
  
He could suddenly hear what she was saying and realized the child was speaking to him. "I been here and she's been tellin' me stuff. She was really mad when you got dead, you know".  
  
The child dug her tiny fingers beneath a band of vines across the front of the stone and pulled them away.  
  
Angel moved closer. Before he even read the exposed name, he knew whose grave he stood before.  
  
The little girl droned on. "And then you came back and she was happy. She thought you were an angel, did you know that? That's what she told me." She leaned back to survey her work. "But you wasn't no angel."  
  
Angel read the name on the stone over and over again, the date she had been born and the date she had died. He remembered her birth. At his mother's urgings, he had reluctantly held the newborn. From that moment on a special bond formed between him and his little sister Katherine.  
  
"You was a monster and you killed her." The child said.  
  
Angel fell to his knees, overcome by the excruciating flood of memories, of the day that bond was torn to bloody shreds. He remembered killing her, the look of terror twisting her innocent face as what she believe to be an angel bore down upon her.  
  
She had struggled briefly as he sank his fangs into the soft flesh of her throat. With sickening clarity, he remembered the disappointment that the monster he had become felt when she had not lasted longer.  
  
"She wants you to help me, Angel," the child said as she rested her hand upon the cool face of the weathered stone.  
  
Angel lifted his head, the agony of the past dissipating but the recollection still painfully tender.  
  
"Who are you?" He reached with a trembling hand out to the child.  
  
She began to turn. No more than five years old, the child's pale skin was stark in contrast to the blackness of her hair. Thick gauze pads had been taped over her eyes, to prevent them from drying out. An IV tube ran from her arm to the ground, snaking beneath the cover of the dry leaves.  
  
Aubrey Bentone looked toward Angel and spoke. "You took your sister's soul and now your gonna help find mine."  
  
He watched as she began to sink into the earth of his sister's grave.  
  
"I gotta go now, but you gotta lot of work to do."  
  
Aubrey was up to her neck in the rich black earth.  
  
"I'll tell your sister you said hello."  
  
And with that, she was gone, swallowed up by the hungry grave. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Serena stared out of her window into the glowing lights of Los Angeles below her. It was late at night, and yet, the city was still awake, buzzing with excitement. Her mind wandered elsewhere, ignoring the city sounds below. Time was running out. Shadow monsters haven't been seen since their last encounter and Aubrey's soul was taken and seemed to disappear. Serena scratched her head, frustrated. There seemed to be so much more at stake than just getting a soul back and killing a snake god. She felt like she was up against the wall with nowhere to go. She rested her head in her hands and stared out at the city, thinking deeply.  
  
She heard footsteps enter her room. She didn't have to peer into the darkness to know who it was. She didn't even turn her head. She just stared out at the flickering lights.  
  
"I was going to make some tea. Do you want some?" Angel asked quietly, studying her still figure.  
  
Serena shrugged, standing up slowly. "Sure, I guess. I could use some." She rubbed her eyes and stifled a yawn. She followed him down to the dark lobby. All was silent between them, except the sound of their footsteps.  
  
"So, what were you doing up there, all by yourself?" Angel asked, filling the teakettle with water.  
  
"Thinking." She answered carefully.  
  
"About what?" Angel set the kettle onto the stove and sat down across from the Slayer, watching her features and waiting for a response.  
  
"About." Serena stopped herself. She wasn't going to let herself get too close to him. "About stuff."  
  
"Stuff," Angel repeated thoughtfully. He picked at the corner of the placemat. "You could have been thinking about stuff," he began, "or you could just be telling me that so that you could just tell me something and have it done and over with." He gazed at her levelly. "So, you don't want to talk to me anymore?"  
  
Serena turned her head away. "After what you said to me the other night, you expect me to confide in you? For things to be the same? For us to have a relationship?" she asked incredulously. She laughed cruelly. "I wouldn't even call what we had a relationship." She shook her head.  
  
"Why is that?" Angel asked, his voice cold.  
  
Serena's eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry. I wouldn't call a relationship something where one person devotes everything and another just pretends to and is really thinking about his girlfriend's dead sister the whole time!" she exploded. "Would you call that a relationship?" Angel didn't respond. "Cause I sure as hell wouldn't."  
  
"Serena, let me explain." Angel started, trying to be calm.  
  
"Explain what? Explain that every time you kissed me you thought of her? I don't want to hear about it!" She stood abruptly, turning her face away.  
  
"I can't do this anymore." She mumbled, running her fingers through her hair. Her voice grew loud. "I can't live like this anymore."  
  
Angel's eyes grew wide. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Serena motioned with her hands. "This. I can't take this anymore. I'm always hurting, always." She couldn't find the words. She took a deep breath. "I'm leaving. In the morning. Don't try and stop me. I'll be gone before you even try to stop me."  
  
She turned on her heel and ran to her room to pack, leaving Angel behind, stunned.  
  
*****  
  
When Angel awoke, he found Serena already gone. Loneliness sat in the pit of his stomach, settling in the place it knew best. He scanned his demon books, not quite focusing on the words. He grew listless as dark grew near. He wondered where she was and if she was all right. Days passed and there was no word of Serena. Angel grew more worried about Serena and angry with himself as time wore on.  
  
Wesley noticed Serena gone and Angel's apparent unhappiness with that. He decided to speak up. "Angel, why don't you go with Gunn and patrol a bit? I think it would be best."  
  
Cordelia emerged from the back office. "Um guys? I just had a vision." She rubbed her head gingerly. "Yeah, the ground was pretty hard when I landed on it, but it really couldn't compare to the head-splitting vision I was having." She grimaced, biting her lip.  
  
"Vision?" Angel asked expectantly.  
  
"Right. Um, you might want to go talk to our own Detective Kate Lockley on Jamison Street, in front of the apartment buildings." Cordelia sat down slowly, taking a little sip of water.  
  
"Got it." Gunn nodded, looking over at Angel. "Time to go visit the detective lady."  
  
*****  
  
Flashing lights greeted Angel and Gunn when they reached the scene. They found the area around the apartments taped off and several police officers and paramedics scouring the area. Angel spotted Kate and made a beeline towards her.  
  
She regarded him coolly. "What is it now?" She asked, crossing her arms across her chest and staring at him hatefully. It wasn't so much that she hated him; she didn't. She just didn't trust him. No, she trusted him. She just didn't like him.or maybe she didn't trust herself for trusting him. Something like that. When it came to Angel, things got very confusing.  
  
Angel turned toward the scene. "What happened here?"  
  
"That's confidential information that I can't disclose to the public." She bit off icily. "Is there anything else?"  
  
"Come on, Kate. All I want to know is what happened here. Nothing serious. I'm trying to find a bigger picture here." Angel reasoned.  
  
"If you want information, you could try asking that girl you have staying with you." Kate leafed through some paperwork. Angel looked at her questioningly. "Serena, isn't it? She's been by here already. She said she had to give you some information on what happened here. Funny, she said just about the same thing.the bigger picture." Kate trailed off, staring off into space. She snapped back to reality. "So if you want to know, ask her." Kate walked away.  
  
Angel turned to Gunn. "She's been here. She's okay." He muttered. "She's going to see this thing through." Angel said, realization hitting him.  
  
Then, he saw her, walking down the front stairs of the apartment building. He locked his eyes with hers. He pleaded with his eyes for her to come back. She slowly shook her head, and walked away. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
Serena sat in the cellar of the library, knees drawn against her chest, her chin resting thoughtfully on them. The basement was cold and damp, but it had to be better than the hostility that she felt back at Angel's. She shivered and pulled her sweatshirt around her tightly, trying to warm up. She decided to get up and walk around outside a bit, to warm up, to see what kind of action was happening. She found another person in the apartment building, a child, without a soul.  
  
The work of Christian. She thought, shivering again, a sickening feeling creeping into the pit of her stomach. She stepped out and closed her eyes, tipping her head back and basking in the beautiful fading sunlight. She suddenly had an idea. She walked around to the front of the library to find the doors locked. She cursed under her breath. Another idea popped into her head. She used her power to levitate herself off of the ground and gently push herself into an open window about two stories off of the ground.  
  
As easy as pie. She smiled to herself as she pulled herself through the window and checked the library with a quick glance. It was empty.  
  
She seated herself in front of a computer, booting it up.  
  
"Okay," She cracked her knuckles and wiggled her fingers, then began to type furiously.  
  
"Come on, come on," she mumbled as she typed, staring at the computer screen.  
  
Okay, here we are. Now, Christian Edwards..she thought as she scanned the screen. Damn, nothing. Hmm. There's gotta be something deeper.wait a second! She hit the keys and waited a few seconds. She smiled triumphantly.  
  
"Gotcha." She whispered. And my sixth grade typing teacher thought I wouldn't amount to anything on the computer. Ha! I'd love to show her that I just hacked into Christian's database! Christian's secret database.  
  
Serena's brow furrowed. "Dammit, a password." She sat, thinking, her finger tapping her lip thoughtfully.  
  
She tried several words, but nothing worked. Hmm. She glanced around the library hopelessly. She spotted a poster of a snake hanging in the science section. Snake.That's it! Machida. She typed furiously and was rewarded when the password was acceptable. She cheered silently and patted herself on the back, very proud of herself.  
  
She rubbed her hands together in anticipation. What are you hiding, Christian? What's your secret? What are you planning? She thought as the page booted up.  
  
Her mouth was agape with shock and her hands began to shake as she stared at the screen in front of her.  
  
History of Angelus. she read to herself. 1752: Liam dies and Angelus is borne. Angelus goes back to his home and kills his family, one by one, beginning with his little sister, Katherine.  
  
Tears dripped down her face and fell, hitting the desk, forming a small puddle. "Liam." she whispered. "So that's what his name was before he became." She couldn't finish her sentence. She forced herself to read on. She read the entire history of Angelus, all of the unforgiving and ruthless thing Angel did as Angelus. She knew that Angel had done some evil things when he was Angelus, but she didn't realize the extent of the evil. She felt like she didn't know him anymore.  
  
Through the tears, something caught her eye. She gaped at the screen quizzically. "Spells?" she wondered.  
  
After a swift click of the mouse, she found herself studying all of Christian's spells. She wiped the tears from her face. "Oh my goodness." Even though the spells were in some weird demon language, she could tell that the spells weren't for making daisies grow or for making rainbows appear. She printed out all of the spells and stuffed them in her pocket.  
  
Gotta get these to Wes without seeing Angel. She thought grimly. She couldn't look at Angel now. The thought of him and all of his lies made her sick. She shut off the computer and exited the way she came. She checked the alley to make sure the coast was clear and floated herself back down to the ground. She walked away from the library, en route to the hotel, praying that Angel wasn't there.  
  
The whole way to the hotel, thoughts of what she had read about Angelus shot through her mind. He killed his own little sister.his own mother and father! She hastily wiped away the tears that began to run down her face. In her mind, only a true demon could take away something as precious as family. She shook her head. That's all he was to her anymore. A demon.  
  
She walked into the hotel as if she never left and made sure she was composed as possible. "Hiya Wes! Gotta job for you." She called. Wesley looked up in shock.  
  
"Serena! What are you doing here?" Wesley asked, shock written all over his face.  
  
"Is Angel here?" She asked abruptly, cutting in. Cordelia walked in, looking through some papers. "Hi Cordelia."  
  
"Hi! What are you doing back?" She smiled cheerfully.  
  
Serena expression remained stone-faced. "I'm not back."  
  
"No, Angel isn't here. He's out with Gunn, probably."  
  
"Good." Serena interrupted again. "I need you to decipher this for me." She removed the wad of papers from her pocket and laid them on the counter for Wesley to see. Cordelia peered over his shoulder.  
  
"Where did you get these?" Wesley asked, astounded. He picked up the papers to take a closer look and adjusted his glasses.  
  
"I was taking a joy-ride thought Edwards' database and happened to run into these." And a lot of other unsuspecting things. She added silently. Wesley peered at her, puzzled, over his glasses. She answered his silent question.  
  
"I hacked into his database just a little while ago and found this and a lot of other stuff. Thought you could decipher it for me." She said hurriedly, glancing at the door.  
  
"Oh, right." Wesley nodded and began to look up the words. Serena tapped her finger on the counter impatiently, wanting to leave as soon as possible.  
  
Suddenly, Gunn and Angel walked through the door and Serena's stomach sank to the floor. Surprise masked his face as he walked towards her.  
  
"Serena, what are you doing here?" Angel asked incredulously. He strode towards her with a small smile on his face and stopped in front of her. Serena took a step away from him, diverting her eyes. Cordelia, Wesley, and Gunn busied themselves to keep out of the vampire's and Slayer's business.  
  
"Wesley's just deciphering some stuff for me. That's all." She answered shortly.  
  
"Oh, well, do you want some tea or something?" Angel asked.  
  
Serena shook her head. "No, that's okay. I really don't plan on staying long."  
  
"But." Angel trailed off.  
  
"I'm not coming back, if that's what you're thinking." She stared across the room, at one of the computers. She focused on only that.  
  
"I don't understand. Why don't you come back?" Angel asked gently. He reached out to her. She moved away from him.  
  
She turned to him, tears brimming her eyes. "I can't believe you!" She burst out, not able to contain it any longer.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Angel demanded, his eyes narrowing.  
  
"You want to know what I'm talking about, Liam? I'll tell you." She paused, letting what she said sink into Angel's head.  
  
"How do you know about that?" Angel whispered, anger gone from his voice. His voice was low and Serena detected a hint of hurt in his words.  
  
Serena plowed on. "What, did you think that I would find out about your past? All of your victories? Dammit, Angel, you killed your own family, your own sister!" She said, still unable to believe what she read.  
  
"You don't understand." Angel argued weakly.  
  
"Of course I don't. I never do, right? Save it Angel." She shook her head. She turned to Wesley. "Wes, if you could decipher some of that by tomorrow night, that'd be great. I'll come by later and talk to you about them."  
  
Wesley nodded wordlessly, and continued to scan the book in his hands. Serena turned towards the door and brush passed Angel, pushing herself to make it outside. As soon as she was outside, she ran. She didn't know where she was going, and it didn't matter. She just ran to get away.  
  
*****  
  
Serena studied the translation of the spells in her hands. Her mind spun, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. In her mind, she went over the explanation Wesley gave her, explaining the meaning and purpose of the spells.  
  
"They are of ancient demonic tongue." Wesley had explained, leafing through the stack of spells. "This one," he said, placing one on the counter in front of Serena and pointing to it, "is our shadow creature spell as far as I could tell. It speaks of creatures of the darkness that you quite can't touch. I think that pertains to our shadowy friends."  
  
Serena shoved the spells into her pocket and tuned into her Slayer senses. A good ass-kicking always helped to get anger and frustration out. Serena was about due to give one.  
  
She spied three suspicious figures wearing trench-coats and hats set low on their heads. that gave her goose-bumps. "Well, creepiness decides to drop in for a little chat. Who knew it had perfect timing?" she asked herself through gritted teeth, following the figures. She kept a safe distance behind them. Something about them was familiar somehow.  
  
Wait a second. She thought, realization stopping her in her tracks. Those trench-coats. It's the homoculi. Dread seeped into her brain, making her palms sweat.  
  
I can't take on these guys myself. Angel and I together could barely take them on. She thought desperately. Let's just follow them to see where they go. She nodded, agreeing with herself and followed the homoculi for several blocks, until they disappeared, turning into an alley. Cautiously, she followed them down the eerie, dark alleyway. She turned the corner and found herself staring right into Gunn's face. She gasped.  
  
"Gunn! What do you think you're doing?" She whispered hoarsely.  
  
"I could ask you the same question, with you all creepin' down alleys and stuff." Gunn remarked.  
  
"I was following the homoculi to see where they were headed. To see if they would lead to Edwards and Aubrey's soul. Until I ran into you." Serena said pointedly, kneeling down to adjust her boot.  
  
"Oh, you mean those ugly, faceless things you and Angel fought together? Damn. I didn't see them come down that way." Gunn shook his head. "I'm hungry. You hungry?" He asked, leaning against the wall.  
  
Serena arched her eyebrow with curiosity. "You're asking me to go out to dinner with you?" she asked incredulously.  
  
"No!" Gunn answered quickly, standing straight up. "I'm asking you if you'll come with me and watch me eat cause it sucks to eat alone. That's all. I don't want you getting the idea that I want your company. Your just the only totally faced, not fanged person around." Nonetheless, Gunn gave her a smile.  
  
Serena could only laugh. She walked next to Gunn to the nearest burger joint.  
  
*****  
  
Christian Edwards paced the floor, worry creasing his handsome face. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, patterns of shadows danced on his face. He stopped pacing and suddenly slammed a fist onto the table in front of him, the loud sound thundering in the small room. Edwards' cohorts glanced up, startled.  
  
"She is getting too close!" Christian roared, dropping into a seat. He pulled his hair in frustration. "She as already infiltrated my database. How long until she attacks me?" He demanded. He received no answer from his followers. He fumed to himself, then stopped. He stood and retrieved a large, musty book from small pile on the other side of the room. A small smile played on his lips. He scanned the contents of the old book, and stopped when he found what he was looking for. "Yes. Things are going to get a little wild, believe me." He studied the words and mumbled the foreign language, evil casting over his face. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
Serena thoughtfully munched on a french fry as she watched Gunn inhale his burger. She waved a fry at him. "Have you heard of chewing?" she asked. With all of her Slaying experiences, and with all of the disgusting things she had seen, this was, by far, on her top ten of the Nastiest Things the Slayer Has Seen. She shuddered, and turned away from the sight.  
  
"Yeah, I've heard of chewing. I just don't believe in it. Takes too much time." Gunn answered, devouring the remains of his burger. Serena rolled her eyes.  
  
"So how have you been doin'?" Gunn asked seriously, leaning his elbows on the table.  
  
Serena suddenly became uncomfortable and started to shred a napkin. "Nothing, really." She shrugged slowly.  
  
Gunn stared at her levelly. "Come on. Don't beat around the bush. It doesn't work with me."  
  
"All of a sudden, you care?" Serena asked loudly. She realized how loud she really was and lowered her voice in consideration for the few people in the fast food restaurant. "You didn't give a damn before. Why now?" She reasoned.  
  
"I cared before. I just didn't believe you could really do anything for us, until I saw the way you could handle yourself." Gunn stole one of her french fries and stuffed it in his mouth. "You've proven it. And that's that. So are you going to give me a straight answer?"  
  
"You wanna know how I am." she trailed off. "Physically or emotionally?"  
  
"Both." Gunn answered, listening intently.  
  
"Oh, well, okay." She played with her hair. "Physically, better than ever. I'm getting stronger everyday. But emotionally." She shook her head, tossing her hair to the side. "Emotionally, I'm just a mess." She sighed.  
  
She was about to say something else when a strange feeling washed over her. She gripped the table tightly, her knuckles turning white. Beads of sweat broke out on her forehead, her breathing grew ragged. Her mind spun. She felt a change overcoming her.  
  
"Gunn." she whispered hoarsely. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to calm herself down.  
  
"Serena, what's wrong? What's going on?" Gunn asked, surprised. He grabbed her arm. She opened her eyes to look at him. Gunn gaped in horror. "Serena! Your eyes! What happened to your eyes?"  
  
Her eyes were now cat-like, with dark slits staring back at him. "I don't know.something doesn't feel right." Her features were changing, becoming more lithe and cat-like as well. "Gunn, get out of here. Whatever this is will tear you apart."  
  
"I can't leave you here. I'll take you with me." Gunn objected.  
  
"You'll be dead before you reach the hotel." She answered grimly. Whatever was happening to her, it was happening quick, which didn't leave her much time. "Now listen to me. Go get Angel. He'll know what to do." She gasped for air.  
  
"But." Gunn protested again.  
  
"GO!" She used every amount of remain strength to stand and pull Gunn to his feet, giving him a push toward the door. "Before its too late, go!" she pleaded, just as the final changes occurred. She felt her inhibitions vanish and her hunger grow. She felt something she had never felt before inside her..evil.  
  
*****  
  
Angel listened intently to Gunn's peculiar story. "She started to change.how?" Angel questioned.  
  
"Her eyes got weird. They became all.they looked like they were cat eyes." Gunn shook his head. "It really creeped me out man. She sprouted fur and her face got distorted.she was, like, turning into a werewolf, except it was a cat instead." Gunn shuddered. "Her face was..evil."  
  
"So what are you saying? She's also a were.um.cat in her spare time?" Cordelia asked, arching an eyebrow. "That would be a little hard to hide."  
  
"Take me to the restaurant." Angel told Gunn. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
Angel surveyed the bloody mess, sadness in his heart. Blood was sprayed everywhere, making his stomach somersault slowly. "It was Serena." Angel whispered.  
  
"Are you sure? Cause there are other demons." Gunn objected.  
  
"I smell her blood mixed in with other people's. It was her." Angel confirmed. "I'm guessing someone put up a fight with her and spilled some of her blood. Which means she may be injured somewhere. I can follow the scent of her blood. Let's go."  
  
Gunn followed Angel outside, being careful to stick close behind him. "She's close by." Angel reported, sniffing the air. "Real close."  
  
Something lunged out from behind a building and knocked Gunn off of his feet and landed on top of him. Gunn stared up into the familiar cat-eyes. "It's Serena!" Gunn called, knocking her off of him as gently as possible. Serena, or the thing she had become, landed on all fours, glowering at the men in hatred. The transformation to Angel was amazing. Her hair was wild and tangled, her eyes just narrow slits. Her face had sprouted fur and had become more cat-like. A ring of dripping blood surrounded her mouth. She licked it, growling at him. Angel barely recognized her.  
  
She lunged at them again, this time taking down Angel. She raised a hand with sharp claws gleaming, ready to swipe. Angel braced himself, but he expected never came. Recognition gleamed in Serena's eye. She slowly put down her hand and growled ferociously. Angel realized that something made her not claw him to death.  
  
Serena backed up off Angel slowly, her careful gaze never leaving the young man and the vampire. Then she took off like lightning into the night.  
  
"Man, what the hell was that all about?" Gunn grumbled, wiping off his hands angrily.  
  
"I have no clue. But I bet we're going to find out really soon." Angel said grimly, staring off at the path the Slayer had taken.  
  
*****  
  
Wesley stared at the musty books in front of him. He struggled to keep his eyes open, to find the answers in the book he was trying to find for most of the night. The sky was now tinged with rose colors and he still hadn't found anything. He blinked, trying to focus on the yellowed page in front of him. Suddenly the answer was there.  
  
He sprang out of his seat and bolted upstairs to Angel's room. Angel let Wesley into the room, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "Angel, I found something." Wesley studied the page. "Animal possession. An animal spirit takes over the human one." Wesley continued to scan the page, then stopped, faltering. "It says here that if the spirit remains in the human host for a long period of time, the human spirit is lost forever." He said slowly, looking up at Angel. Determination was set on Angel's face.  
  
Cordelia joined the two in the hallway. "What's going on? Wes, did you find something?" She asked. She held a book in her hand.  
  
"Yes, well, sort of." Wesley shook his head. He turned to Angel. "Animal possessions aren't natural."  
  
"It's Edwards. It has to be. Serena must've gotten too close." Angel shook his head angrily. He silently reprimanded himself.  
  
Cordy, who had been watching his expression, suddenly collapsed onto the floor, clutching her head in agony. Her book that she was holding flew out of her grasp and slammed into the wall, leaving a dent. Her body convulsed and flew into spasms. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Angel and Wesley knelt by her. She opened her eyes. The vision was over.  
  
Angel gently helped her up. She cradled her head in one hand while rubbing her neck with the other.  
  
"Angel, you have to get over to Lorne's. Serena's going to have herself a little snack." Cordelia said urgently. "You better grab Gunn and get over there fast."  
  
*****  
  
Angel studied the gnawed, severed arm in front of him, kneeling to take a closer look. His brow furrowed in deep thought.  
  
"So when are you going to learn how to control your cousins?" Detective Kate Lockley's voice cut through his thoughts.  
  
A moment of silence passed. Angel stood, his mind still wandering. "It wasn't a vampire." Angel answered shortly.  
  
"How do you know? Do you guys have secret codes or something, so you know what everyone's doing?" Kate replied dryly.  
  
There was silence. "What kind of demon was it?" Kate asked quietly. Angel paced the street, ignoring the talking of the police officers hovering nearby. Kate waited expectantly.  
  
"It wasn't a demon either." Angel told her.  
  
"Then what was it? It couldn't of been any normal human being!" Kate responded angrily. Kate glanced at Gunn. "Say, where's Slayer girl?"  
  
"She's the problem." Gunn piped up.  
  
"Wait, your telling me that she did this?" Kate asked Angel incredulously, motioning toward the severed arm laying on the ground.  
  
"It's not exactly her." Gunn answered quietly.  
  
"Okay, enough beating around the bush. What the hell is going on?" Kate demanded, crossing her arms.  
  
"It's kind of a...unique situation. I'll fill you in later, after this is all over." Angel promised, motioning to Gunn. "Right now, we have to be going. I think we just got a lead."  
  
They left Kate behind with a stunned look on her face.  
  
"She dragged the body, leaving a nice blood trail to follow." Angel murmured under his breath to Gunn. "We should find her in no time."  
  
Gunn followed Angel closely, listening to the unusually silent night and watching Angel sniff the air. It reminded Gunn of a dog he once knew as a child. It almost made him crack up, but he held it in, due to the seriousness of the matter at hand. So he pushed it out of his mind.  
  
Angel stopped cold in his tracks. Gunn nearly bumped into him. Angel looked around curiously. "What's going on? Why aren't we trackin'?" Gunn asked curiously.  
  
"Because," Angel responded, looking up at the buildings surrounding them, "the trail just went cold."  
  
"What do you mean, went cold?" Gunn asked.  
  
"It just stopped." Angel frowned deeply. His eyes shifted from rooftop to rooftop, trying to find a clue. "One minute there's a nice, warm, delicious." Angel rambled.  
  
"Angel, please. I'm about to lose my dinner." Gunn replied.  
  
"Right, sorry. One minute there's a nice trail of blood and then, its gone. Not a drop to be found. I was thinking that she could have jumped onto one of the roofs or something, but I would have smelled the blood. I got nothing." Angel made eye contact with Gunn.  
  
"So we got nothing put a couple drops of blood that lead us nowhere." Gunn summed up, shaking his head. "You gotta admit, the girl's good."  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of. She's the Slayer. She already has superhuman powers. Now, this animal's gotten a hold of her soul and." Angel trailed off.  
  
"I don't get this animal possession thing. How can that happen?" Gunn inquired, his head beginning to hurt from thinking too much.  
  
"It's almost like the demon vampire taking the soul of the human being. It gives her no inhibitions, no conscience, no nothing, just the urge to feed. Just the animal instincts. And she has Slayer powers on top of that animal power. She's going to be hard to take her down without seriously hurting her." Angel thought out loud.  
  
Gunn remained silent, taking it everything Angel had just said. He scanned the area one more time, then said, "You ready to go?"  
  
"Yeah, let's go. There's nothing here." Angel replied, following Gunn slowly. He had the feeling he was being watched. The little hairs on the back of his neck bristled at the feeling. He turned around and saw nothing, but the feeling didn't subside. He walked away slowly.  
  
A pair of cat eyes watched him leave. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
"Another disappearance." Cordelia cut through the silence in disbelief, sliding the newspaper article over to Angel. "It's the fourth one this week."  
  
Angel scanned over the article. "Says here that looks as if this disappearance has something to do with a wild animal loose. Which ties it to the other disappearances. It also says that there was some blood and a few body parts left at the scene." Angel stared at the article. Cordelia cringed at the thought of body parts.  
  
"So she's eating her victims at the scene of the crime." Wesley thought out loud.  
  
Angel disagreed, turning his face away from the newspaper article. "Think about it. This is LA. If she would just eat her victim in the middle of a busy street, someone is bound to notice. All of the crime scenes were found hours after the initial attack. She's definitely storing her victims somewhere." Angel concluded.  
  
"Where would she be taking them?" Gunn asked, looking at the article himself.  
  
"Somewhere in the middle? Close-by to all of the crime scenes?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Brilliant, Cordy!" Angel jumped up suddenly with an idea. He brought out a map and a marker and marked all of the places of attack. It formed a square. "Okay, we begin to check out this area as soon as night falls." He said triumphantly, indicating the area.  
  
They split up. Wesley went with Angel south, while Gunn took Cordy north. They promised to keep in touch by cell phone if they found anything.  
  
Wesley and Angel watched the streets carefully as Angel drove. They passed through the rougher parts of town, scanning the buildings and the alleys, scouring every inch.  
  
All of a sudden, out of the sky dropped an animal, pouncing onto the nearest human being and tearing out the poor mortal's throat. Angel screeched to a halt as Wesley leapt from the still moving car and sprinted towards the animal. Angel followed, staring at the animal. He unexpectedly stopped in his tracks, realizing with a dull sickness in his heart that the animal was Serena. The change is almost complete. The thoughts crept into his mind. You have to stop her now, Angel. Just don't hurt her. Stop her.  
  
He ran towards Serena and jumped, landing on her back. She growled in surprise, flying into a wall. She grunted, and turned ready to attack Angel, but stopped when she saw his face. She just held her ground and glared. Wesley inched up behind Angel.  
  
"That is strange. Why don't you suppose she's attacking you?" Wesley asked wondrously, watching the animal carefully. She remained where she was.  
  
"I don't know. She's tackled me before, and swiped at me, but she's never seriously hurt me." He didn't move his eyes from the feline, but listened closely to Wesley.  
  
"A part of her is still human. The part that loves you, that wouldn't hurt you. She senses who you are and that human part does is fighting the animal side not to attack you. This may be what we need to save her." Wesley thought out loud. "Angel, you'll have to cover for me. I'm going to go get the spell and come back. Keys?"  
  
Angel cautiously tossed him the keys, keeping his eyes on the feline in front of him. Wesley took off running, but she barely noticed. She kept her shoulders hunched, her eyes staring into his, letting out a low growl. Before Angel realized what she was doing, she snatched her human snack into her mouth and took off running. Angel reacted and sped after. He watched her launch onto a rooftop, her midnight snack still held tightly. He closed his eyes and propelled himself upwards, barely making it onto the roof. He followed Serena rooftop to rooftop, until suddenly, he lost her. He spun around, and a light breeze blew, fanning the scent of fresh blood his way. He cautiously stepped towards a trap door that he guessed led to the attic. It creaked loudly as he slowly opened it, slipping down through it and landing in a dark room. He squinted in the dark and found a string, pulling it. Light flooded the room, illuminating a grotesque sight.  
  
As he suspected, he found himself in an attic. What he didn't bargain for were the 4 half-eaten corpses lying scattered everywhere. Angel swallowed, trying to remain calm. He spotted Serena in the corner, chewing on an arm. She seemed aware of his presence, but also seemed relaxed, at ease. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and punched in Cordy's number. He told her what was going on and where he was, as well as to call Wesley. He hung up hastily.  
  
Within ten minutes, Angel heard Wesley's footsteps on the roof. The squeaky trapdoor opened once again and Wesley and Gunn dropped down. Serena, who had been sitting calmly only a few seconds before, leapt to her feet defensively, bearing her teeth and growling. Wesley cautiously took a step forward. Serena flew at him, but Angel came between them. Serena pounced on Angel instead, landing on top of him. She realized who she tackled and quickly backed up, her ears flattening up against her head. She took a step back, but kept her eyes on Wesley and Gunn.  
  
Wesley made the mistake of reaching into his pocket for the spell. Serena let out a warning growl.  
  
"Angel, you're going to have to keep her calm while I perform this spell. Otherwise." Wesley told him grimly. Angel understood what he needed to do.  
  
Wesley once again went to reach for the spell in his pocket and Serena lunged at him. Angel saw it coming and once again intervened, driving himself forward into the flying feline. He caught her and flung her across the room. He landed on top of her and held her abnormally thick wrists to the ground. Angel faintly heard Wesley speaking some demonic spell to change Serena back.  
  
Serena struggled against Angel to get free. Her claws raked at his arms, leaving bloody trails running down them. She howled in anger.  
  
"Come on Serena! Fight it!" Angel snarled, glaring into her eyes. He felt a gust of wind and glanced at Wesley. He had his eyes closed and was muttering the incantation repetitiously under his breath.  
  
Serena screamed in pain, trying hopelessly to get free. "Don't let it get to you! Fight it!" Angel called to her. "Please, do it for me. I love you."  
  
As if understanding him, she stared into his eyes. Her eyes transformed from the cat eyes to her beautiful dark ones. She let out a shriek that went right through him like a cold wind. He shuddered. Wesley even looked up from his piece of paper to mutter, "It's working.", and then cringed. Gunn placed his fingers in his ears.  
  
She let out another bone-chilling cry and squeezed her eyes shut, tossing her head from side to side. The fur began to disappear. The face became normal. The claws retracted and vanished. In a matter of seconds, Serena was lying there, totally normal.  
  
She looked up at Angel. He gently let go of her wrists. She crawled out from beneath him and looked around, quickly crawling over to one of the corpses.  
  
"No, no no." she mumbled hysterically, wiping away her tears. "No." She began to perform CPR. Angel realized she went over the edge.  
  
"Come on, wake up. Don't die, please, please don't die!" she pleaded. She scurried to another corpse, breathing into its mouth in hopes of it reviving. "No, no, no." She shook her head in disbelief. "You can't be dead. No."  
  
Angel went over to her and helped her stand. He put an arm around her to help her walk. She went over the edge of hysteria. "I killed them, Angel. They're dead. All of them. I did it." she sobbed, her knees buckling. She collapsed to the floor, bringing Angel with her. He pulled her to him and held her whiled she cried against him.  
  
She looked up staring into his eyes, her eyes dark and huge with fright. "I am a Slayer. I am supposed to save people, to preserve humanity against demons. But I gave into it and I killed innocent lives. What kind of Slayer am I? I don't deserve this title anymore. I'm a murderer. Plain and simple." He couldn't bear to hear her talk anymore. He just pulled her to him and she sobbed in his arms until she stopped from sheer exhaustion. Angel carried her from the slaughterhouse and took her back to the hotel. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
Angel poured the tea he had been brewing into a mug and stared upstairs where Serena's room was. Wesley watched helplessly. Ever since they had brought the Slayer home, she was a zombie, not talking, eating, or sleeping. Angel had been working to get to her, but she was traumatized from what she had been through. Wesley realized she needed time  
  
"You don't think she'd want a cup of tea, do you?" Angel asked suddenly, turning to Wesley, seeking advice.  
  
"I don't know." Wesley answered truthfully. There were a few moments of silence. "Angel, you do realize that she does need time."  
  
"Yeah, but." Angel trailed off.  
  
Wesley looked up, surprised. "Angel, she murdered innocent people. She's the Slayer. That's not her job description. There was something inside of her that she couldn't rid herself of that murdered the innocent. You, of all people, should know what she's going through." Wesley scolded. "Maybe you should tell her about what you went through in order to get to her." Wesley suggested.  
  
Angel tapped the mug with his finger, his ring clanking loudly. Wordlessly he made his way up the stairs.  
  
He tapped on Serena's door and Cordy answered. "Yeah?"  
  
He gently pushed the door open. "You can take a break from the storytelling if you want."  
  
"Which, translated, means its Serena and Angel alone time." She said, smiling. She stood and walked up to Angel. "Play nice." She winked and was out the door in a matter of seconds.  
  
He slowly made his way across the room, holding two steaming cups of tea. "I thought you could use a cup, so I decided to bring you some." He told her. No response. He set one cup on a table next to Serena's bed and kept the other for himself. He sat next to her on the bed and turned to face her. Serena just stared off into space. Angel noticed her gaze was somewhere on the wall behind him.  
  
"So how are you doing today? Do you feel like talking?" Angel asked, taking a sip of tea. Again, there was no response.  
  
Angel decided to go into what was going on with Christian Edwards. "So we may have pinpointed where he was. Its this industrial plant, a few miles away. I'm going to get Aubrey's soul back. The ceremony is tomorrow night. We're going to stop it, and hopefully."  
  
Serena's eyes shifted from the wall to Angel's eyes. A tear ran down her cheek. "Am I some sort of monster?" She whispered, her voice hoarse.  
  
Angel cut his sentence off and just stared. He reached for her. "No, no, of course."  
  
"Because only a monster would have done what I did." Her voice cracked. "All I felt was their pain. I can still feel their blood dripping down my chin, coating my throat, drizzling down. All I can see is the terror on their faces as I tore them apart, as death ascended on them. I enjoyed it, tried to make them scream a little louder before I killed them. All of the slaughter, the murder, the blood." She closed her eyes and wiped away tears. "I was Chosen to protect them from demons that inhabit this world, that hide in it. Instead, I became one of those monsters who hid in the dark and killed those people I was meant to protect." She shook her head sadly.  
  
"Trust me, I understand." Angel comforted.  
  
"Do you?" She asked, her eyes flying open.  
  
"Yes I do. I'm a monster remember? I feel the need for blood everyday. I used to kill people with out remorse and loved it. I killed my family because I could. Because I had the power to. I killed innocent people for decades." He retorted hardly.  
  
Serena's eyes widened and she placed a hand over her mouth. "I forgot. You're right." she trailed off, forcing herself not to cry. She looked away from him.  
  
"Just a few days ago, you hated me for it. Now you realize somewhat what I went through." He told her. "Which I think, in the end was good for you. I'm not a monster, not anymore, and neither are you. We'll be non- monsters.together." Angel smiled, cupping her chin and turning her face towards his so her gaze would meet his.  
  
"What about that Buffy thing?" Serena asked quietly. "I know, impeccable timing, but."  
  
"I was wrong about Buffy. Yes, I loved your sister, but you're different. You don't take her place, you just have a place of your own in my heart." He gently caressed her cheek. "I love you."  
  
Serena looked up at him with surprise. "I love you too." She whispered. "I just need alone time. Time to get over this possession thing." She stood, running her fingers through her hair. Angel wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"I'm here if you need to talk." Angel told her, kissing her forehead. She nodded. Angel left the room without another word. Serena sat, thoughts buzzing in her mind. She stared out of her window at the coming nightfall. The setting sun glowed a vivacious orange through the now-opened blinds. She felt guilty inside, as well as hollow. She needed time to heal. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
It was the day. Angel crept inside of the industrial plant in downtown Los Angeles, Cordelia behind him. He had wanted Serena to come, but there was no convincing her. She just wasn't ready. He gripped his double bladed axe tightly in one hand and gestured for Cordelia to follow with the other. He heard Christian Edwards' voice in the distance, getting louder and louder. It finally got to the point that Edwards' voice was booming by the time Angel and Cordelia were directly overhead of him, standing on an overhang. He quietly handed Cordelia a sword and put his finger to his lips, a motion to stay quiet. Angel listened carefully to the words Edwards was chanting. It was the ceremony. Vials of souls lined a table behind Edwards, swirling their colors.  
  
Angel launched himself from the overhang towards Edwards down below, aiming carefully, so as not to hit the table. Angel landed on the desk in front of Edwards, collapsing the desk and throwing Edwards off balance.  
  
"You!! I thought I got rid of you!" Christian cursed.  
  
"By putting that possession spell on the Slayer?" Christian looked surprised. "Nah. She's all better, just recuperating."  
  
Vampires attacked Angel at every angle. He let loose with his sword and fists, dusting several vampires at once. A whirling sound flew by Angel's ear and a vamp next to him exploded into ash, the stake clatter to the ground. He turned to find Gunn, looking pleased with himself.  
  
Angel looked up to Cordy, who was holding a large bucket. He quickly retreated beside Gunn and shouted, "Now Cordy!!" Cordelia obliged, dumping the several gallons of holy water on the group of vampires below.  
  
Shrieks from the vampires echoed throughout the building, the stench of burning flesh floating in the air. Gunn turned to Angel in excitement. "Its time for the buffet." Angel followed, slicing and dicing the whole way.  
  
Angel was knocked off his feet when a solid fist collided with his head. His vision blurred for a moment, but cleared. He looked up at his attacker. A faceless creature "stared" back at him. It was Earrings, the homoculi that attacked him in David Bentone's apartment. Angel anticipated the return of his artificially made friends. Angel removed a small dagger from his coat pocket, the Sword of Tiagru, a blade that unbinds all things made by magick, including the homoculi. He sprung to his feet and plunged the knife deep into the stomach of the homoculi. Within a few moments, a putrid stench of horse manure filled the air and the homoculi was finished.  
  
Angel turned and found Christian in front of him, pointing the collector right at him. Angel put his arms up in surrender, and surveyed the room. Gunn, Cordelia, and Wesley were all held fast by the vampires under the command of Edwards.  
  
"Drop the knife." Edwards commanded. Angel obliged, the blade clattering on the floor. "On you knees, now." Christian waved the collector at him. Angel kneeled slowly, keeping his hands in the air.  
  
"Now, what do you suppose would happen if I take that dirty tarnished soul from your body, hmm?" Christian asked, a smile spreading across his face.  
  
"Angel!!" Cordelia cried out, struggling against the hands that held her in place.  
  
"But I wouldn't feed it to my God, Machida, no. It would be far too priceless! Do you know how much a vampire's soul would go for?? Thousands, even millions! Something so rare, right in front of me." Edwards thought out loud, the smile getting wider.  
  
"But I must perform the ritual first, just so I know you won't get in the way." The smile disappeared and a look of concentration crossed his face.  
  
Christian began the incantation under his breath, but kept his eyes open and kept the collector pointing at Angel.  
  
Wesley, Gunn, and Cordelia struggled to get free, but were unsuccessful. The ground began to shake as Christians words grew louder. A deep rumble grew thunderous as a gigantic half man/half snake creature broke through the floor and eyed its surroundings. It hissed angrily.  
  
A crossbow bolt flew across the room and buried itself into Christian's left shoulder. He screamed in pain, dropping the collector. Another shot into his left side. He angrily tore the bolts from his body and dove for the collector. A figure dropped from an overhang and landed softly. The figured turned into the light. It was Serena.  
  
Angel reached the collector before Edwards and tossed it to Serena. "What are you doing here?" Angel asked curiously.  
  
"Noooooo!" Christian screamed.  
  
Serena turned the collector in her hands, a half-smile on her face. It made Christian's blood run cold. "Oh, I figured you guys would need some help." She shrugged and turned to Edwards. "Oh, did you want this?" She asked sweetly. "You don't honestly think I would give it back to you so you could steal Angel's soul away and have an Angelus on our hands, do you?" She dropped the collector to the floor and stepped on it, crushing it. "Whoops! Too bad!"  
  
"You stupid girl!" Christian screamed. "Do you know how long it takes to grow a collector?"  
  
"It was an accident!" She insisted, her eyes narrowing. "What are you going to do about it anyway?" She asked, waving her hand at him. He flew across the room into the vampires holding Wes, Gunn, and Cordy, setting them free.  
  
Christian howled in anger. The Snakeman snapped at the Slayer. "Bad boy!" Serena scolded, jumping back. "Don't you know that good pets don't bite?" She asked, taking a sword and throwing it at him. It landed in its neck, but not deep enough to do any real damage. Serena spied the vials of souls sitting on the table.  
  
Angel dodged the swiping blade coming at him, and met it with his own sword with a loud clang. He gritted his teeth in concentration, meeting each of Christian's attacks. Christian spotted something over Angel's right shoulder.  
  
"No, you stupid.don't go near those!" Christian yelled, moving around Angel. Serena gripped one end of the table covered with the vials tightly, as if going to tip the table. "The souls are very powerful. This whole place will explode if you break all of those vials." Christian explained desperately.  
  
"Aw, isn't that a shame?" Serena remarked sarcastically. She turned toward Machida, ready to confront it, but she found herself in its coils, being constricted tightly. She let out a gasp. The tightening stopped suddenly and the man half of the snake fell to the floor. Angel appeared from behind the creature.  
  
"I think I killed it." He told her, totally deadpanned. She turned toward Christian, and then to Angel.  
  
"Run." She told him quietly, and then she took off. Wesley, Cordelia, and Gunn were already out the door, as if knowing what she was going to do.  
  
"Angel come on!!" She could hear his footsteps faintly. She turned around, and , using her powers, she picked up the table and flung it against the wall. The explosion threw her off her feet and slammed her into a metal beam, knocking the wind out of her. The heat rolled over her, making her break out into a sweat. Then, all she heard was silence. She stood, her balance wobbly. She staggered towards a Angel, laying on the ground. He was unconscious, knocked out from the explosion. She saw Christian up ahead, lying in a pool of blood.  
  
"Gunn, Wesley! Help me!" Serena called. Her head throbbed, her hands shook. She knelt down and tucked her hands around Angel's shoulders and stood, half dragging, half carrying him out of the industrial plant. Gunn suddenly appeared in front of her.  
  
"Gunn, help me get him out of here." She asked, sweat beading on her forehead. Carefully they carried Angel to the car, where Serena fished the keys from the unconscious vampire's pocket. She drove back to the hotel as quickly as possible. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
Aubrey Bentone sat at Cordelia's desk, coloring happily. The little girl was normal now, full of life and smiles. June Bentone stared at her little girl coloring her "secret project" as she sipped some coffee.  
  
"How is he?" June asked quietly.  
  
Serena gazed into her coffee. "Still unconscious."  
  
"And the souls?"  
  
"From what we can tell, they went to where they came from." Serena looked up at Aubrey coloring. "Your daughter is the perfect example of that."  
  
"Angel Investigations is the one I have to thank for that." The mother smiled warmly at the Slayer.  
  
"Too bad Angel isn't awake to see her." Serena remarked sadly. "He wanted so badly to get your daughter's soul back, and now, when he did, he can't see how happy that little girl is."  
  
June Bentone had stopped by to thank the group once again. And to pay them, which was music to Cordelia's ears.  
  
"Did I mention how." June started.  
  
"Thankful you are?" Serena interrupted, smiling. "I believe you only mentioned it with the dozens of fruit baskets and flowers, as well as the supply of blood, for Angel." She stopped suddenly. "You know that Angel's a vampire and it doesn't scare you?"  
  
"I didn't know he was a vampire, not when he first took the case. But I think the non-reflection thing kinda worked against him." June smiled. "I guess I put two and two together and figured that no matter what he is, he saved my little girl. A true monster wouldn't be able to do such deeds."  
  
Aubrey dashed over to Serena, concealing something behind her back. "I know Angel isn't awake now, but when he does wake up can you give this to him?" Aubrey asked innocently.  
  
From behind her back, Aubrey pulled a paper halo that she so meticulously colored a bright yellow. Serena's heart swelled with the overwhelming emotion that was triggered by the child's generosity and kindness. "Now Angel is a real angel, like those in heaven." The child put simply.  
  
Serena glanced at Cordelia and Wesley across the room. Cordelia had a hand over her mouth in awe and a tear trickled down her cheek. Wesley removed his glasses, cleaning them on his sleeve and ducked his head so his face was concealed.  
  
Serena fought the huge knot in her throat and smiled at Aubrey, accepting the gift graciously. "I will do that. Angel will truly love it." She smiled widely at the girl, who smiled back, happy that Angel would love her gift. She just hoped he would wake up to see the gift.  
  
*****  
  
Serena stood on a balcony, leaning on the railing. Thunder boomed, as if predicting a shower. Clouds billowed, making the world turn dark. She felt the first raindrop, and then suddenly, it was coming down in buckets. She stood in the rain, enjoying the feel of the raindrops against her skin. She sensed some movement behind her and spun around, her hair swinging over her shoulder. To her surprise, she found Angel standing there.  
  
"Angel, you're up!" She said, smiling. She took a step towards him. "How are you feeling?"  
  
He just stared at her, his eyes wide as if he'd seen a ghost. Which isn't the best analogy because Angel has seen a ghost before, and his eyes weren't that large. And even if he saw another one, he'd go downstairs and look up something in his books to find out how to kill it. She thought to herself, smiling wider.  
  
Angel said nothing, just stared at her and walked towards her slowly. She stared back at him, inquisitively. "Angel, what's.what's wrong?"  
  
As they were being bombarded by the rain, Serena stared up at Angel. He gently took her hand and placed it on his chest. "Wha." She trailed off, her eyes growing huge. What she felt was unmistakable, but yet, somehow, impossible. A heartbeat. Angel's heart was beating. He was alive. Tears rimmed her eyes in disbelief.  
  
"Your heart.it's beating." Serena whispered to herself, trying to convince herself that this was reality, not another dream. "You're.you're human?" She gazed up at him, her eyes wide.  
  
Angel nodded, smiling slightly. Serena stroked his face gently. His fingers danced lightly on her arm. The rain subsided and the sunshine shone dimly through the clouds, glowing down on the couple on the balcony.  
  
"You're not bursting into flames.I'd say your pretty human." Serena commented, her voice breathy.  
  
Their lips met with such intensity and passion, it took Serena's breath away. She ran her fingers through Angel hair as the kiss deepened. As the sun beamed into the room, casting shadows onto the wall, Serena gave herself to Angel, the vampire with a soul that was now human. 


End file.
